"Cigarettes are a threat to the demographic bonus because in order to achieve quality and superior human resources, they must be healthy starting from the physical and mental health," the ministry's acting Assistant Deputy for the Fulfillment of Children's Rights on Health and Education, Anggin Nuzula Rahma, stated during the "Dissemination of Monitoring Results of the Cigarette Forum Children in 9 Districts/Cities" event in Jakarta, Tuesday.
Apart from threatening the quality of human resources related to the demographic bonus, smoking also has a negative impact on national development, she remarked.
"Cigarettes can also worsen poverty. A lot of the family budget is used or spent on cigarettes," Rahma noted.
According to Rahma, cigarettes are also linked to the threat of stunting in children. Families whose parents are smokers tend to prioritize spending on buying cigarettes rather than providing nutritious food for the family, thereby resulting in low nutritional status of children.
In addition, smoking increases the state's burden related to health and economic problems.
"Smoking creates a huge health expenditure burden and a very large economic burden as well," she pointed out.
Rahma highlighted that Indonesia already has several regulations related to child health protection in the form of Smoking Free Areas (KTR) and Child-Friendly Cities (KLA) through Law Number 36 of 2009 on Health and Government Regulation Number 109 of 2012 on the Safety of Substances Containing Addictive Substance in Tobacco Products for Health.
The others comprise Regulation of the Minister of Health Number 40 of 2013 concerning the Tobacco Control Road Map, Circular of Minister of Home Affairs Number 440 of 7468 of 2018 on the Implementation of KTR Regulations in the Regions, Minister of Education and Culture Regulation Number 64 of 2015 on KTR in Schools, and Presidential Decree Number 25 of 2021 concerning the KLA Policy.
"All these regulations clearly show the government's commitment to protect children from addictive substances and to reduce the prevalence of child smokers according to the mandate of the National Medium Term Development Plan (RPJMN)," she pointed out.
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Translator: Anita Permata D, Resinta S
Editor: Sri Haryati
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